Starting November 1, 2025, all Android apps will need to support 16 KB memory pages.

Google Play enforces a new binary requirement for submissions that target Android 15+. This change affects both new releases and updates and aims at measurable gains in app performance across devices.

Teams that use only Kotlin and Java often face little work. Projects with native C/C++ code or third‑party SDKs usually need rebuilds or config tweaks. Expected benefits include faster launches, better battery life, quicker camera starts, and faster system boot times.

Act early: evaluate toolchains, run APK Analyzer and Lint checks, and test on emulator targets. Noncompliant binaries risk blocked releases and reduced visibility on the Play Console.

Need help?

Contact Us

www.iottive.com or email sales@iottive.com for audits, code updates, and packaging support. Many migrations are straightforward thanks to modern tool defaults.

Key Takeaways

• Enforcement begins November 1, 2025 for Google Play submissions targeting Android 15+.
• Switching page size yields faster launches, better battery, and quicker camera and boot times.
• Pure Kotlin/Java projects often require no changes; native builds likely need updates.
• Use Android Studio tools and Play Console checks to validate compliance.
• Contact www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com for upgrade help and compliance packaging.

Why this change matters now: performance gains, compliance, and the Android 15 shift

Shifting to a larger page layout unlocks real performance wins across boot, launch, and camera workflows.

From 4 KB to 16 KB: what page size means for your app

Android 15 is page-size-agnostic: devices can run with either 4 KB or larger pages while correctly built binaries run across both.

A larger page reduces bookkeeping in the MMU, lowers TLB misses, and trims CPU time spent on mapping management. That improves overall system responsiveness and shortens common critical paths.

Documented gains: faster launches, better battery, quicker camera, speedier boot

Measured outcomes from Google tests show device performance boosts of roughly 5–10% on larger page configs. Teams can cite up to 30% faster app launches in some cases, ~3% average faster launches, ~4.56% reduced power draw, quicker camera starts (~4.5–6.6%), and about 0.8s faster system boot.

Compliance is opportunity: enabling larger page support unlocks these gains on modern devices while remaining compatible with 4 KB installations. If you need help quantifying wins or preparing a rollout, contact www.iottive.com or email sales@iottive.com.

Android apps will need to support 16 KB memory pages: what the Google Play deadline requires

From the November cutoff, any new release or update targeting android 15+ must meet Play Console binary checks before publication.

Scope of enforcement:

• Effective November 1, 2025, Google Play rejects uploads for new submissions and updates that do not meet the page sizes requirement when targeting android 15+.
• Use the Play Console app bundle explorer to spot non-compliant artifacts early and avoid blocked updates.
• Projects with native code and prebuilt libraries face the highest risk and often require rebuilds or updated binaries.
• Third-party sdks that include native libraries must confirm timelines for compatibility; React Native, Flutter, and Unity already provide aligned builds, while Unreal Engine is still finishing support.

Action now: verify dependencies, add a compliance gate to release criteria after October 2025, and engage vendors if their binaries are not aligned.

Need help? Contact us for triage and vendor coordination at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Plan your upgrade: a how‑to roadmap for developers and teams

Create a cross-functional plan that ties testing targets and release gates to firm deadlines. Set a migration owner and form a squad with engineering, QA, release, and vendor leads. This keeps responsibility clear and timelines realistic.

Key scheduling actions

1. Set milestones that finish weeks before the November 1, 2025 cutoff.
2. Upgrade toolchains early: AGP 8.5.1+ and NDK r28+ are recommended.
3. Audit code for page-size assumptions and list required changes.

Create a dual-environment test matrix

Build tests that cover both 4 KB and 16 KB environments across smoke, regression, and performance suites. Include on-device checks and emulator targets so you catch platform differences early.

Vendor coordination and release gates

Inventory native libraries and rank their risk. Ask vendors for 16 KB-ready builds and log fallbacks if timelines slip.

Reserve time for baseline performance runs so you can show launch and battery improvements after migration. Since compatible binaries run on mixed devices, staged rollouts reduce risk.

Need expert help? Contact iottive for planning and execution at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com. We can accelerate testing, environment setup, and vendor coordination.

Assess your app today: find native code, page size assumptions, and risks

Start by scanning your release artifact for native binaries that might break under larger page configs. Open the bundle in APK Analyzer and note each .so file at the module level. This gives a quick view of compatibility markers and risky libraries.

Use APK Analyzer and Lint

APK Analyzer shows embedded modules and marks 16 KB readiness. Run Android Studio Lint to catch non‑aligned libraries early. Catalog third‑party binaries and map vendor compatibility notes.

Spot hardcoded assumptions

Search repositories for PAGE_SIZE, 4096, and alignment directives. Replace fixed values with runtime queries like getpagesize() or sysconf. Audit mmap, ashmem, and file mappings for implicit boundaries that affect page tables and reclaim paths.

Next steps: build a risk register, prototype a small harness for native allocation paths, and plan targeted testing runs. If internal expertise is limited, contact us for a rapid assessment and remediation plan at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Upgrade your toolchain: build and package with 16 KB alignment

A consistent build pipeline is the fastest path to compliant, aligned binaries. Start by making packaging defaults part of your release checklist so every artifact meets Play Console checks before an upload.

Adopt Android Studio + AGP 8.5.1+

Android Studio with AGP 8.5.1+ applies 16 KB alignment for uncompressed shared libraries by default. That reduces manual steps and keeps packaging predictable across builds.

Move to NDK r28+ or set linker flags

NDK r28+ compiles with 16 KB alignment across ABIs. If older toolchains persist, add linker flags such as -Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384 and, where required, -Wl,-z,common-page-size=16384. Check build logs for the applied size and page markers.

Rebuild native modules and verify artifacts

Rebuild every native code module, JNI bridge, and prebuilt library. Audit third‑party sdks and ask vendors for updated builds if their libraries lag.

• Confirm alignment with APK Analyzer and command-line checks.
• Document evidence per release for compliance audits.
• Integrate reproducible steps in CI so alignment is enforced for all branches.

Need help? Contact us for turnkey toolchain upgrades, build script updates, and binary verification across your modules and SDK dependencies at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Fix your code for page‑size agnosticism

Make your low-level code agnostic: query the system for the actual page value at startup and use that everywhere. Replace fixed literals and document the changes so future edits do not reintroduce assumptions.

Replace hardcoded 4096 with runtime queries

Remove constants like 4096 and PAGE_SIZE in native modules. Use getpagesize() or sysconf(_SC_PAGESIZE) and cache the result.

Audit mmap, allocators, and IPC

Review mmap and file mapping offsets so they use the runtime value for alignment. Check custom allocators and arenas for alignment logic that assumes a fixed boundary.

• Validate ashmem, shared memory, guard pages, and signal handler alignment.
• Add unit and integration tests that run with both 4096 and 16384 values.
• Consider static analysis rules that flag hardcoded page literals in native code.

Need help? Engage iottive for a focused audit and patch plan to reach page‑size agnosticism quickly and safely. Contact www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Test in a 16 KB environment: emulator, real devices, and remote labs

Validate early and often. Set up a controlled test environment that covers emulators, local devices, and remote labs before any release. This catches alignment errors and performance regressions early.

Use Android Emulator targets (arm64 and x86_64)

In android studio, create emulator images configured for the larger page alignment on both arm64 and x86_64. Run smoke and performance checks there first.

On‑device validation

On supported Pixel 8/8 Pro and newer devices (Android 15 QPR1+), toggle the developer option between 4 KB and 16 KB and confirm with adb shell getconf PAGE_SIZE.

Leverage remote labs

Use Samsung Remote Test Lab to broaden coverage across OEM builds and regional variants. Remote devices help replicate real‑world conditions you may not have locally.

• Build a test plan: list expected outcomes for login, camera, media, storage, and cold/warm launches.
• Capture evidence: logs, performance metrics, and alignment errors for each run.
• Automate: environment setup scripts and data seeding so runs are repeatable and fast.
• Include negative tests: check buffers and alignment‑sensitive operations for hardcoded assumptions.
• If needed, engage iottive to provision environments, author plans, and triage issues at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Verify dependencies: third‑party SDKs, engines, and libraries

Start by mapping every third‑party library and engine inside your build so nothing slips through a release gate.

Inventory analytics, A/V, ML, networking, and game engines. Note versions, ABIs, and whether vendors supply prebuilt binaries.

Update to 16 KB‑ready SDKs

React Native and Flutter offer compatible releases today. Unity also provides aligned builds, and Vivox reports readiness for voice features.

Monitor Unreal for its official timeline and plan fallbacks if a vendor misses delivery dates.

Coordinate with vendors for compliant binaries

Ask each vendor for a statement of compliance and artifact details: ABI targets, alignment flags, build toolchain, and minimum OS level.

“Request vendor statements and verify artifacts with APK Analyzer and Lint before gating a release.”

• Validate updated libraries with APK Analyzer and Lint for alignment and packaging regressions.
• Create a vendor tracker with delivery dates, test results, and fallback options.
• Run targeted tests for voice, streaming, and camera pipelines that are sensitive to mapping behavior.
• Check transitive dependencies inside SDK bundles; nested libraries must be verified too.
• Gate releases: add a dependency sign‑off step so non‑compliant artifacts cannot ship.

Need help? Contact us to upgrade your app and ensure full compatibility with the latest Google Play requirements. Visit www.iottive.com or email sales@iottive.com.

Automate checks in CI: lint, alignment, and compliance gates

Automating artifact checks prevents last‑minute release blocks and saves engineering hours.

Start by integrating tools that flag misaligned binaries and hardcoded page values early. Add Android Studio lint as a CI step so native libraries and suspicious code patterns surface in pull requests.

Integrate Android Studio Lint and command‑line scripts

Run lint with a strict ruleset and fail on alignment warnings. Combine that with command‑line scripts that validate packaging flags and parse artifact headers for correct page alignment.

Fail builds on non‑aligned libraries and PAGE_SIZE violations

Create a compliance gate that fails builds when any binary, library, or code heuristic triggers. Automate APK Analyzer or equivalent tooling to emit machine‑readable alignment reports.

Best practice: ensure agents build with AGP 8.5.1+ and NDK r28+ so defaults reduce manual work. Add smoke test runs for cold and warm launches as part of the gate.

Contact us to upgrade your application and ensure full compatibility with the latest Play requirements: www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Measure the wins: launches, battery, camera, and system performance

Quantify end‑user impact by tracking launch times, battery draw, and camera latency across a set of representative devices.

Establish pre‑migration baselines for cold and warm app launches, typical battery usage during normal sessions, camera startup latency, and boot‑adjacent flows. After enabling larger page size support, rerun the same tests and compare results.

Observed outcomes: faster app launches up to 30% (about 3% average), battery savings near 4.56%, quicker camera starts between 4.48% and 6.60%, and boot improvements around 0.8 seconds.

• Attribute gains to lower MMU overhead and fewer TLB misses, which improve system responsiveness on many devices.
• Use consistent device sets (both 4 KB and larger page configs) so results isolate the page size effect from other variables.
• Track memory usage alongside performance so net user benefit is clear for product teams.

Share results with stakeholders and use documented gains as justification for continued low‑level optimization. For help building measurement frameworks or interpreting outcomes, contact us at www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com.

Conclusion

, A timely migration protects releases and turns an optimization into a compliance win for developers.

Google Play enforces that updates targeting Android must support the 16 KB page size from November 1, 2025, so teams must act now to avoid blocked uploads and lost visibility.

Practical steps: upgrade Android Studio and AGP, move to NDK r28+, remove fixed page assumptions, rebuild native modules, and validate artifacts across both page size configurations with APK Analyzer and Lint.

Benefit: properly aligned artifacts run on both 4 KB and larger page installs, improving page tables efficiency and lowering runtime overhead for a smoother user experience.

For planning, audits, build changes, and vendor coordination, contact www.iottive.com or sales@iottive.com. This migration is a strategic investment in compliance, performance, and long‑term resilience.

Where can I get expert help or enterprise support?

At Iottive, we bring proven expertise in native build optimization, compatibility upgrades, and end-to-end app modernization. Our team helps accelerate compliance, minimize risks, and ensure your Android applications meet the latest standards without disruptions.

Visit us: www.iottive.com